Braking system for in-line roller skates

Abstract

A braking system for an in-line roller skate includes a generally U-shaped brake bracket and a brake pad mounted thereon. The brake bracket is pivotably mounted on the wheel bracket of the in-line roller skate such that the bracket pivots about a generally transverse horizontal pivot axis. A brake actuator including a handle and lever is provided. A cable extends between and is connected to the brake actuator and the brake pad, the cable operative to pivot the brake bracket upon engagement of the brake actuator, thus causing the brake pad to frictionally engage a wheel of the skate. Finally, a spring extends between and is connected to the brake bracket and the shoe of the in-line skate, the spring operative to bias the brake bracket away from the wheel of the skate thereby stopping frictional engagement between the brake pad and the wheel.

I claim: 
     
       1. A braking system for an in-line roller skate having a shoe portion and a longitudinally extended wheel bracket, the wheel bracket mounted on the underside of the shoe portion, the in-line skate further including at least two ground-engaging wheels mounted on the wheel bracket in-line for rotation about generally parallel transverse axes such that one wheel is a rearmost wheel, said braking system comprising; a wheel engaging structure comprising; brake pad means;   a brake bracket connected to said brake pad means, said brake bracket including a forwardly extending arm for mounting on the in-line skate wheel bracket adjacent the rearmost wheel;   means for pivotably mounting said arm to the in-line skate wheel bracket above the rotational axis of the rearmost wheel of the in-line skate such that upon said brake bracket being pivoted downwardly and forwardly, said brake pad means is brought into frictional contact with the rearmost wheel;     a brake actuator;   cable means extending between and connected to said brake actuator and said wheel engaging structure, said cable means operative to pivot said brake bracket and said brake bracket and said brake pad means to frictionally engage the wheel of the skate upon engagement of said brake actuator;   biasing means connected to said wheel engaging structure, said biasing means operative to bias said brake bracket away from the wheel of the skate thereby stopping frictional engagement between said brake pad means and the wheel.   
     
     
       2. The braking system of claim 1 wherein said brake pad means comprises a polyurethane brake pad including a leading wheel-contacting edge for contacting and frictionally engaging the wheel of the in-line roller skate. 
     
     
       3. The braking system of claim 1 wherein said brake bracket comprises a generally U-shaped bracket including a base section and two arms projecting forwardly therefrom, said brake pad means being mounted to said brake bracket between said arms and adjacent said base section of said brake bracket. 
     
     
       4. The braking system of claim 1 further comprising cable bracket means and means for mounting said cable bracket means on the in-line roller skate spaced from said brake bracket. 
     
     
       5. The braking system of claim 4 wherein said cable bracket means comprises a generally L-shaped bracket connected to a generally T-shaped mounting bar, the T-shaped mounting bar including a cross bar section having slots formed in opposite ends thereof, said slots adapted to receive bolts for connection to the wheel bracket of the in-line roller skate, said T-shaped section and said L-shaped bracket adapted to be mounted to the wheel bracket such that said L-shaped bracket extends upwards and outwards from said T-shaped section with said cross bar section of said T-shaped section connected to the wheel bracket. 
     
     
       6. The braking system of claim 5 wherein said cable means further comprises a brake cable and an outer sheath surrounding said cable, said brake cable extending between and connected to said brake actuator and said wheel engaging structure, said outer sheath extending between and connected to said brake actuator and said cable bracket means such that said brake cable is biased against said cable bracket means for engaging said brake pad means with a wheel. 
     
     
       7. The braking system of claim 6 wherein said brake actuator comprises a hand-brake mechanism having a handle portion and a lever portion pivotally connected to the handle portion. 
     
     
       8. The braking system of claim 7 wherein said outer sheath of said cable means extends between and is connected to said handle portion of said brake actuator and said cable bracket means and said brake cable of said cable means extends between and is connected to said lever portion of said brake actuator and said brake pad means, such that upon said lever portion of said brake actuator being pivoted, said brake cable is tensioned against said outer sheath of said cable means thereby biasing said brake pad means into frictional contact with a wheel of the in-line roller skate, thus initiating braking action. 
     
     
       9. The braking system of claim 8 wherein said brake pad means further comprises a cable attachment bracket mounted on said brake pad means, said cable attachment bracket including means for releasably and adjustably gripping said brake cable. 
     
     
       10. The braking system of claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring extending between and connected to said brake bracket and said cable bracket means said spring operative to pivot said brake bracket away from a wheel of the in-line skate thereby stopping frictional engagement between said brake pad means and a wheel. 
     
     
       11. A braking system for a pair of in-line roller skates each having a shoe portion and a longitudinally extended wheel bracket, the wheel bracket mounted on the underside of the shoe portion, each in-line skate further including at least two ground-engaging wheels mounted on the wheel bracket in-line for rotation about generally parallel transverse axes, said braking system comprising: two wheel-engaging structures each comprising; brake pad means;   a brake bracket connected to said brake pad means, said brake bracket including a forwardly extending arm for mounting on the in-line skate wheel bracket adjacent the wheel;   means for pivotably mounting said arm to the in-line skate wheel bracket such that said brake bracket pivots about a generally transverse horizontal pivot axis, said brake bracket pivotable to bring said brake pad means into frictional contact with a wheel of the in-line skate;     a brake actuator;   a Y-connector having a single upper end and two lower ends, said Y-connector connected at said single upper end to said brake actuator and each lower end connected to one of said wheel-engaging structures such that upon engagement of said brake actuator, each of said brake brackets are pivoted to bias said brake pad means into frictional engagement with an adjacent wheel of one of the in-line roller skates;   upper cable means extending between and connected to said brake actuator and said single upper end of said Y-connection; and   at least two lower cable means, one each extending between and connected to one of said lower ends and one of said wheel-engaging structures.   
     
     
       12. The braking system of claim 11 wherein said lower cable means comprises a single brake cable extending between each of said wheel-engaging structures and being connected adjacent the midpoint of said brake cable to said lower ends of said Y-connector. 
     
     
       13. The braking system of claim 12 wherein said Y-connector comprises a generally triangular bracket which includes a top point having a hole and a lower portion adapted to be connected to said brake cable, said hole in said top point adapted to receive and be connected to said upper cable means whereby connection between said brake actuator and said wheel-engaging structures is accomplished. 
     
     
       14. In combination, an in-line roller skate comprising a shoe portion and a longitudinally extended wheel bracket, the wheel bracket mounted on the underside of the shoe portion, the in-line skate further including at least two ground-engaging wheels mounted on the wheel bracket in-line for rotation about generally parallel transverse horizontal axes; and   a braking system comprising:   a wheel-engaging structure including; a brake bracket pivotably mounted on said wheel bracket adjacent at least one of said wheels;   brake pad means mounted on said brake bracket;   said brake bracket and said brake pad means cooperating such that said brake bracket is pivotable to bring said brake pad means into frictional contact with at least one of said wheels thereby initiating braking action;     a brake actuator;   cable means extending between and connected to said wheel engaging structure and said brake actuator, said cable means operative to pivot said brake bracket and said brake pad means to frictionally engage at least one of said wheels of said skate upon engagement of said brake actuator; and   said brake bracket adapted to be pivotably mounted on a wheel bracket above the rotational axis of a rearmost wheel of said in-line skate such that upon said brake bracket being pivoted downwardly and forwardly, said brake pad means is brought into frictional contact with said rearmost wheel.   
     
     
       15. In combination, an in-line roller skate comprising a shoe portion and a longitudinally extended wheel bracket, the wheel bracket mounted on the underside of the shoe portion, the in-line skate further including at least two ground-engaging wheels mounted on the wheel bracket in-line for rotation about generally parallel transverse horizontal axes; and   a braking system comprising:   a wheel-engaging structure including; a brake bracket pivotably mounted on said wheel bracket adjacent at least one of said wheels;   brake pad means mounted on said brake bracket;   said brake bracket and said brake pad means cooperating such that said brake bracket is pivotable to bring said brake pad means into frictional contact with at least one of said wheels thereby initiating braking action;     a brake actuator;   cable means extending between and connected to said wheel engaging structure and said brake actuator, said cable means operative to pivot said brake bracket and said brake pad means to frictionally engage at least one of said wheels of said skate upon engagement of said brake actuator; and   said brake bracket adapted to be pivotably mounted on a wheel bracket such that upon said brake bracket being pivoted downwardly, said brake pad means is brought into frictional contact with a ground surface over which said skate is traveling.